I am so frustrated and I really need some help, my acne was moderately severe about a year ago, then I was put on some antibiotics and it got better but I had to stop (because... well there's a time mark). I am going back to the derm. in a few months but I don't want to be put back onto the antibiotics.

BP doesn't work anymore and my face is constantly feeling oily (this happened after I had used ProActive a while back), if I drag a finger over my forehead it will typically be shiny. It's not "very" bad right now but there are pimples constantly popping up - this was how it started before it got really bad and I'm freaking out. My cheeks/jaws are also covered in small bumps.
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I've tried a lot of things and am tired of it. I've even tried using nothing at all but that didn't help either.

Right now I will usually wash my face with water than use some natural toner (water, vinegar, honey) and will wash it when it feels very oily.

Salicylic acid 2% LEAVE-ON cream (NOT a cleanser, it isn't on your skin long enough to do anything). I like the Clearasil Acne + Marks Spot Treatment. I apply it in a thin layer all over my face once a day.

Don't be afraid to gently squeeze the white things out. A lot in the picture are close to the surface that you can squeeze them out without hurting your skin. It isn't good for pus to just sit in your pores. Put on some latex gloves so your hands don't spread bacteria on your face, and get the whiteheads out. The salicylic acid will help this and keep your pores clear.

Edited by Green Gables, 04 July 2012 - 10:12 AM.

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Salicylic acid 2% LEAVE-ON cream (NOT a cleanser, it isn't on your skin long enough to do anything). I like the Clearasil Acne + Marks Spot Treatment. I apply it in a thin layer all over my face once a day.

Don't be afraid to gently squeeze the white things out. A lot in the picture are close to the surface that you can squeeze them out without hurting your skin. It isn't good for pus to just sit in your pores. Put on some latex gloves so your hands don't spread bacteria on your face, and get the whiteheads out. The salicylic acid will help this and keep your pores clear.

Is there anything else than Salicylic Acid? It really doesn't do anything for me (the few times it does it only aggravates it). I'd love to squeeze it out, but majority of these pimples aren't all that close to the skin even though it looks like it. If I get a noticably white pimple I gently squeeze it out.I have a lot of under-skin zits on my cheeks. It look horrible!

You can try a topical sulfur mask. Walgreens sells a cheap sulfur treatment for $5 called De La Cruz Sulfur. I personally use the ProActive sulfur mask.

Its primary use is keratolytic.

Keratolytic therapy thins the skin on and around the lesion. It causes the outer layer of the skin to loosen and shed. Keratolytics can also be used to soften keratin, a major component of the skin. This serves to improve the skin's moisture binding capacity, which is beneficial in the treatment of dry skin.

It is also mildly antibacterial and antifungal.

In addition to keratolytic activity, sulfur has mild antifungal and antibacterial activity. However, its precise mechanism of action is unknown. When applied to skin, sulfur is thought to interact with cysteine, present in the stratum corneum, to form hydrogen sulfide (2). Hydrogen sulfide can break down keratin, thus demonstrating sulfur's keratolytic activity. Pentathionic acid, which is toxic to fungi, is also formed by cutaneous bacteria as well as keratinocytes from topically applied sulfur (2). In addition, the keratolytic effects may promote fungal shedding from the stratum corneum (1). Sulfur has an inhibitory effect on the growth of Propionibacterium acnes as well as Sarcoptes scabiei, some Streptococci, and Staphylococcus aureus (3-5).

Edited by Green Gables, 04 July 2012 - 11:59 PM.

I don't get notified of your response to my post unless you QUOTE my post.

Please only quote a small portion of the post so it doesn't clutter up the thread.